大象传媒

I grow up on the Shankill Road and at one point worked in Mackies making bomb floors for Sterling Bombers. I decided to join what was called the Home Guard. Home Guard 5th Battalion UHG under Captain A Moorhead. I was given a rifle and a hundred rounds of ammunition and a uniform. One of my many duties was to guarded Sydney Street West Power Station.We where trained at the Glenwood School, Rigga Street, Belfast, this was also the school which I attended as a young lad. I served in the Home Guard from 1 July 1940 until 31 December 1944. My whole family were involved in the Second World War, my father joined the army in 1939 and was posted to France at the time of the German Advance. France then fell to the Germans and my dad was resuced by Scotch soldiers at Dunkirk along with 300 other British soldiers and put on a ship back to England, his mate who join up with him never made it and must have been killed in action. My father was also in World War 1 1914-1918 and served in WW2 1939-1945. His father John Charles Hughes served also for 20 years in the Royal Inniskillen as a RSW, he was not in the 1939-1945 war. My two twin brothers Victor and Charles joined the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1933 and were stationed in India in the North West Frontier, they joined up when they were eighteen. After returning to England Victor joined the Paratroope Regiment and my other brother Charles stayed in the Royal Ulster Rifles. My brother Victor landed in Italy and later at Arnhem and was captured by the Germans, later to return to England when the war ended. Charles landed at Caen on D Day and was wounded and was brought back to England. My three sisters who all joined the Royal Air Force came through the war without being injured.

I left the Home Guard and joined the Royal Irish Fusiliers, Army number 14459909 on
13 February 1945. We trained at Omagh, before going to Lancaster, England to Ripple Barracks where I trained for 10 weeks then went to Swansea in Wales to form the B Coy, 11 Paltoon, 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. We stayed there 2 weeks and then went from Swansea to Newhaven to board the ferry to travel over to Dieppe, France. We went across France to Toulon then boarded the troop ship 'Clanlamont' to cross the Mediterranean to land at Port Siad, Egypt then travelled to Alexandria to Maspeth Army Barracks. It was a long journey by land and sea in those days. We were called out to proceed to a place called Al Dalba just a few miles past Alamein where 20,000 German prisioners of war where causing trouble. We stayed 6 months guarding the prisioners before going on to the Gaza Strip, then on to Cairo and stayed there 2 months before travelling to Jerusalem. Even though the war had ended in 1945 we were still guarding prisiones and keeping the peace in Alexandria. One half of the Battalion stayed in barracks called Syrian Orphanage the other half stayed in Nota Dame beside the Old City of Jerusalem. During my time in Jerusalem I was Batman to Capt Turpin and Capt Trusdall. Some days the temperature was anything between 98 - 105 degrees. We stayed there 10 months, before travelling to Tel Aviv where I was de-mobbed. I travelled across the Mediterranean to Southampton and finished in London where I got my de-mobb suit, then home to Belfast. Everyone who was de-mobbed handed in their army uniform and was given a suit.I was de-mobbed on 20 December 1947. I was awarded a War Medal 1939-1945, Palestine Medal and Service Medal, I also reveived a certificate for my time with the Home Guard.

Whilst away in Egypt I wrote a letter to the Belfast Telegraph September 6 1946.

Was pleased to receive a cherry message and greeting from Fusilier J N Hughes, who set out to tell me of the Fusiliers' activities in Egypt and I applaud the pride he evinces in the smartness of his famous regiment on paracde occasions.

"There are men here from all part of Ulster," comments my correspondent, "and they are proud of their Mother Country. The 'Telegraph' circulates widely among them, and they all enjoy the local news. Yours is the feature column we specially look forward to, because we feel you are striving to keep us in closest touch with the Homeland. Keep up the good work; you are hitting the target every time!"

Referring to a photograph in our July 5 issue of Somme veterans participating in an anniversary parade, Fusilier Hughes states that the sight of a rain-drenched thoroughfare in Belfast made him feel "quite homesick".

"I would just love to be in Belfast during one of those heavy showers of rain....It has been eight months since rain was seen here; the sun shines from early in the morning , till seven in the evening. I bet the people back home would just love to have a spell of Egyptian weather; well we would gladly exchange places with them!" (Which goes to show, dear readers, that you can have too much of a good thing, and that the bloke who first declared "Far-off fields are green" was voicing the bitter disappointment of the close-up observer!)

And here is another flash from Fusilier Hughes's letter which should make the teeth of strictly rationed home folk water, as it did mine:- "In Egypt hey have everything that money can buy, from silk stockings to gold watches, not forgetting an abundance of fruit, oranges, bananas,water melons (is your mouth getting dry?) ... all the fruit you can think of. When I came out here first I was eating oranges and bananas every day, but now I just turn up my nose at such 'common things!".

Heavens, and this man confesses he would like to be back in 'dear' old Belfast if only to share our heavy showers of rain!... Isn't it a shame; isn't it a shame?

My greetings to you and all your comrades. Fusilier Hughes.

This is short extract from my father's diary 1946.

Received this diary from my sister Dorothy on 20 December 1945. Spent Christmas in Alexandria, enjoyale time.

Sunday 13 January 1946: Standing by expecting to be called out. Guarding Germans.

Monday 14 January 1946: Trouble in South Africian troops camp called out. In prisonor of war camp.

Thursday 17 January 1946: Expected to stay till Sunday. Quiet. Very warm.

Friday 18 January 1946: Waiting for pay. Still standing by expect more trouble.

Sunday 20 January 1946: All quiet. Come back to barracks in Alexandria.

Thursday 24 January 1946: One year done in army here in Egypt.

Monday 4 February 1946: Fired rifle course.

Tuesday 5 February 1946: Fired bren course.

Thursday 7 February 1946: Went back to Al Dabi to guard German Prisoners of War because of South African blacktroop munity at camp.

Sunday 3 March 1946: Came back from Alexandria. All quiet.

Monday 4 March 1946: Severe riots in Alexandria. Many killed and injured.

Tuesday 5 March 1946: Alexandria out of bounds to all troops.

Wednesday 6 March 1946: Out desert training. Buried two soliders today.

Friday 13 September 1946: Left Egypt for United Kingdom abroad the 'Clanlamont' from Port Siad.

21 September 1946: Arrived at Toulon, France in the morning. In transit for a few days travelling through France to Calis.

27 September 1946: Arrived Calis 0900 hrs. Boarded ship from Calis to Dover 1130 hrs.

28 September 1946: Boarded train at Dover at 0200 hrs for Euston Station. Boarded train at Euston Station for Stranraer.

29 September 1946: Boarded ship and arrived Larne Harbour 0800 hrs. On leave for a week.

29 October 1946: Return to Egypt. Boarded ship at Larne Harbour and caught night train to London then on to Calis, France. Travelled through France.

31 October 1946: Boarded ship the Dorban Castle at 1800 hrs, passing through Scilly, sea very rough and cold.

5 November 1946: Landed at Port Siad, travelled to Alexandria.

6 November 1946: Arrived back in Alexandria.

Some of my duties whilst in Egypt included Carrier Picket and Prowler duties as well being Batman to Capt Marshall and Major Lowery.

Spent Christmas Day in Jersuleam. What a special treat.

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